£130m West Lothian battery storage site approved by ECU
Submitted in early 2024, the proposals have now been given the green light by the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit (ECU), with the project expected to support around 80 jobs in the local community during construction.
When fully charged, the two hectare site will have the capacity to meet peak electricity demands for approximately 240,000 homes for two hours or sustain the average energy needs of around 600,000 households over the same period.
Developed by one of the UK’s leading onshore renewables developers, OnPath Energy, the state-of-the-art facility will be located on Pond Industrial Estate near Bathgate.
Pond Flexible Energy Park will play a vital role in Scotland’s journey towards its 2045 net zero goals by storing renewable energy when consumer demand is low and releasing it back to the national grid when demand is high.
This facility will help balance the grid as well as maximising the use of indigenous renewable energy sources, helping reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Michael Newton, sustainability developer at OnPath Energy, said: “Battery storage sites such as Pond are going to have a huge role to play in achieving net zero. Not only that, but beyond its environmental impact, Pond will deliver significant social and economic benefits to the local economy.
During construction, the project will support around 80 jobs, putting more than £1.6 million into the pockets of local workers, benefitting the local economy massively.”
He added: “Once up and running, it will contribute over £1,000,000 in community benefits over the lifetime of the project.
We’re incredibly pleased that we are now at the stage where the site has been consented and we can look ahead to the construction phase of the project.”
In May 2024, OnPath Energy submitted a planning application to the Scottish Energy Consents Unit for the site which is set to be based at Pond Industrial Estate on Whitburn Road to the south east of Bathgate.
The development marks a significant step forward for OnPath Energy as the business works towards its objective of becoming the UK’s leading land-based renewable energy developer
The local community can expect to see real benefits delivered as a result of OnPath’s commitment to prioritising local contractors wherever possible and the community benefit proposal will see over £1 million made available for community-led investment over the project lifetime.
OnPath Energy has a long history of successful renewable energy projects having secured planning permissions for 16 wind farms across the UK.
Three are currently in operation across Scotland, with one in development, one under construction and another two renewable energy projects set to start construction in the next three years, further reinforcing its leadership in the onshore renewables sector.
Michael added: “Working closely with communities is at the heart of what we do, it’s something our team is incredibly passionate about doing the right way.
As we move forward with this project, we’ll make sure the local community stays informed and involved every step of the way. It’s vital that we continue to build upon the strong relationships with everyone who will benefit from this exciting new facility.”
Renowned for its commitment to responsible development, the developer’s OnPath Together approach focuses on maximising its projects’ economic, social and environmental benefits to secure a just transition that is fair and inclusive for everyone.
Credits by Asian Connect & Business Connect
